Railroad-crossing alarm



May 8, 1928.

l v 1,669,121 J. P. DINEEN RAILROAD CROSSING ALARM Filed March 25, 19272 Sheets-$hest 1 fihh P 0/7788, J MM May 8, 1928.

J. P. DINEEN RAILROAD CROSSING ALARM Filed March 23. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheetsqs.

Jab/2 PD/he 8/7 INVENTOR.

A T TORNEYS.

Patented May 8, 1928. I in v g UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. A

i 2 Joint riinrnnnn, or normally,"11mm.

I nAI noAn-oBossme V Application flledlarch23,'127. a Serialire-177,794.

This invention relates to railway crossing Figure 4 shows an alarm bellsupporting signals and pertains particularly to a =train post inside'elevation, showing the alarm operated signal. set to carry thereon.i y 1 The primary object of this invention,-is Figures isa frontelevation ofthe post 6 to provide,- in a manner as hereinafter set andalarm structure shown incFigure 4. i 60 forth, a mechanicallyoperatedsifgnal de-U Referring now to the drawings. in detail signedparticularly f ra e-in such isolated wherein like numerals ofreferenceindicate crossings or curves where the equipment for corresponding'partsthroughout the several a more elaborate signal structure could notviews, the numerals 1 indicate the rails 'of he had. a track way,between whichlrails the signal 05 Another object, of thisinvention, isto prooperating mechanismis arranged. a vide, in a manner as hereinafterset, a ine- Thesignal operating structure comprises chanical crossingsignal for railway lines a base 2 having a housing 3 mountedthereadapted to be operated '-bythe passage of the on, 'one endwull ofthe housing being pro- Hi train wheel flanges over an operated memvidedwith the verticalslot 4 while the oppo- 70 her to actuate asignalelement. site end wall is provided at the lower'por- Still anotherobject of the invention is to tion withtheaperture 5. V i provide, in amanne'rwas hereinafter set 'Extending" longitudinally through the forth,a railway crossing signaldesignedto housingB is a signal operating beam6 one be set in operation, and havingtwo operatendof which projectsthrough the slot 4. (5 ing parts which willpositively and reliably Thisbeamis-pivotally mounted Within the act to 'actuatea signal element,housing3 adjacent that end which extends A further and final object ofthis inventhrough the slot 4, upon the upstanding tion is to provide asignal of the above debearing bracket 7 and: mounted upon the scribedcharacter which will be strong and fioor 2 ofthe housing beneath theinner a0 durable, having little or no'up keep cost and end of thebeam 6is a pair o'fpulley wheels I comparatively inexpensive to manufacture 8.Eachend of the beam 6 has an aperture and installi cformed therethroughas indicated by the Other objects and advantages of the innumerals 9 and10. a

vention will become apparent 'as the descrip- The housing structure 3 isso mounted as tion of the same proceeds, and the invention betwee'n'therails that the end wallsthrough i will be best understood from aconsideration which the slot is formed is arranged in close of thefollowing detailed description taken proximity to one side of one oftherails 1,

in connection with the accompanyin drawas shownin Figures land 2.

ings forming apart of this speci cation, Arranged longitudinally of andupon the .0

with the understanding however, that the inner sideoflthe last mentionedrail between invention is not confined to any strict conthe rail andtheadjacent end of the housirg formity with the showing of the drawings, 3,is an elongatedtrip platform indica but may be changed or modifiedsolong as generally by the numeral 11. I

such changes or modifications mark no ma- Thistrip' platform comprisesan elongated 5 terial departure from the salient features of central"portion 12 and the downwardly in- I the invention as expressed in theappended clined end portions'13. The central portion claims; 12 ofthetripping platform has each end In the drawings, thereof supported bythe helical springs 14 Figure 1 is a view taken transversely of whichare mounted upon appropriate face 1 0 a railway track and through thelongitudiplates 15 carried by the adjacent end of the nal center of thesign'alstructure embodyin housing; These" springs 141*maintainthecenthis invention, which structure is arranged trai -portion 12 ofthe tripping platform in between the rails of the track. substantiallythe same plane. as :thetop of the Figure 2 is'a plan View of the trackway head 16*of theadjacentrail. From this it 1 5' and the structureembodying this invention, willbeseen that the inclined-endportions-l?) aportion of the signal structure being shown of the tripping platformcentral portion 12 in horizontal section. W extend downwardly .asub'stantia distance Figure 3 is a section taken upon the line beneaththe rail head 16 and when a car I 3-3 of Figure 2; whe'el passes alongthis portion of the rail no the flange of the wheel will gradually rideupon the platform 11 and depress the same against the tension of thesprings 14.

The central under portion of the platform central portion 12 is providedwith the depending substantially U-shaped saddle indicated generally bythe numeral 17, this saddle comprising the upright arms 18 and the crossconnecting portion 19. This cross connecting portion or yoke 19 passesthrou h the aperture 10 in the adjacentend of t e beam 6 and thus, aswill be readlly seen, when the platform is depressed the ad acent end ofthe beam 6 will also be depressed while the free inner end will be swungupwardly. Owing to the fact-that the fulcrum point of the beam 6 islncarthe outer end upon which the pressure is applied, the inner end willswing to an arc of greater degree than the depressed outer end.

7 The free outer end of each of the'inclined portions 13 of the platform11 carry downwardly extending arms 20 which are appropriately shaped tochange the lower ends thereof beyond the adjacent edge of the rail base21 and the lower end of each of these arms is provided with inwardlyextending fingers 22 which normally engages beneath the rail base whenthe platform is inset position. These fingers 2.2 prevent one end of theplatform from swinging upwardly when a car wheel forces the other enddown and thus prevents undue strain from being placed upon the beam 6.

Secured to the aperture 9 at the free end of the 6, are the ends of apair of pull cords 23 each of which extends beneath a pulley 8 and runsto one side of the track to a signal structure such as-that shown inFigures at and 5. These signal structures are ar ranged one on each sideof the track at a crossing and, as above explained, each has one of thepull cords 23 running thereto.

Each of the signal structures comprises a supporting post 24 carrying abracket structure 25 formed of a tending spaced ertures 26.

pair of outwardly exparallel arms 26 having ap- Arranged verticallybetween the outer ends of the arms 26 is an elongated bell handle 27having a bearing sleeve 28 formed integral therewith and extendingtransversely thereof through which sleeve a supporting bolt 29, passesfor engagement to support the bell handle therebetween. The lower end ofthe actuating handle 27 carries a bell 29 thereon while the upper end ofthe handle is provided with an aperture 30 in whichaperture one end of aspring 31 is connected, the other end of which spring is attached to theadjacent post as indicated at 32. a

This spring 31 maintains the bell handle 27 normally in verticalposition.- Or in other words, causes the'bell handle 27 to quicklyreturn to a vertical position when swung from such the cable 23. c 7

Associated with the bracket 25 is an insulation casing having brackets33 and carrying therein a pair of contact points 3*} which form theterminals of a broken light signal circuit, the adjacent ends of thelines of which are indicated by the numeral 35. A contact plate 36 isreciprocally mounted within the casing, the stem 36 being drawn back bythe spring 37, surrounding and engaging the stem in such position thatwhen the upper end of the handle 27 is swung inwardly contact will bemade by the member 36 between the points 34, thus co1npleting thecircuit. for 'a light line. In this manner an electric light signal mayalso be employed in conjunction with the bell signal as shown and thelight signal will be energized simultaneously with the sounding of thebell. It will be seen however, that if the light signal should for anyreason become inoperative, the bell signal will continue to operate. 7 cI From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen thatthe'signal device herewith provided is of simple but reliableconstruction, and will effectively operate each time a car wheel passesover the tripping plat form ,11 in its progress along the rail adjacentto which the platform is mounted. Having thus described my invention,what position by the pole upon I claim is: v

1. In a railway crossing signal of the character set forth, a beammember designed to be mounted intermediate its ends adjacent and atright angles to a track rail, a

platform mounted upon that end of the beam lying adjacent said rail anddesigned to have the topof the central portion thereoflie flush with thetop of the rail, resilient supporting means for said platform tonormally maintain the same in set posit-ion, a

swinging signal element and a pull cord connecting said signal elementwith the other end of said beam, said platform having each end thereofextending at an inclination downwardly to set up an inclined surface forthe initial contact of a car wheel flange with the platform.

'2; In a railway crossing signal of the character set forth, a beammember designed to be mounted intermediate its ends adjacent and atright anglesto a track rail, 2.

platform mounted upon that end of the beam lying adjacentsaid rail anddesigned to have the top of the central portion there of lie flush withthe top of'the rail, resilient supporting means for said platform tonor. mally maintain the same in set position, a

swinging signal element, a pull cord connecting said signal element withthe other end of said beam, and means carried by said platform at eachend thereof for engagement beneath the adjacent rail to prevent one endof the platform from swin 'ng upwardly when a car wheel flange ddpressesthe opposite end.

3. In a railway crossing signalof the character set forth, a beam memberdesigned to be mounted intermediate its ends adjacent and atrig'htangles to a track rail, aplatfo-rm mounted upon that end of the beamlying adjacent said rail and designed to have the top of the centralportion thereof lie flush with the to of the rail, resilient supportingmeans or said platform to normally maintain necting said signal elementwith the other end of said beam, saidplatforin having each end thereofextending at an inclination downwardly to set up an inclined surface forthe initial contact of a car wheel flange with the platform, meansextending downwardly from the free end of each of said inclined portionsfor engagement beneath the adjacent rail to prevent one end of theplatform structure from swinging upwardly upon contact with the carwheel flange of the opposite end thereof.

t. In a railway crossing signal of the character set forth a supportingbase structure designed to be arranged between the rails of a track andhaving one end adjacent one of said rails, an upstanding bearing carriedby said base, a swinging beam member mounted adjacent one end upon saidbearing, said. adjacent end being arranged in close proximity to theinner side of the adjacent rail, a trip-' ping platform pivotallymounted upon said beam end, means for normally maintaining said platformin substantially the same plane as the head of said rail, aswingingsignal element designed to be-mounted at one side of saidcrossing, and a pull cord connecting said swinging element with theother end of said beam, to impart motion to the signal upon the passageof a car wheel flange over said platform. I

5. In a railway crossing signal of the character set forth, a supportingbase structure designed to be arranged between the rails of a track andhaving one end adjacent one of said rails, an upstanding bearing carriedby said base, a swinging beam member mounted adjacent one end upon saidbearing, said adjacent end being arranged in close proximity to theinner side of the adjacent rail, a tripping platform pivotally mountedupon said beam end, means for northe same in set position, a swingingsignal element and a pull cord con-' normally mally maintaining saidplatform in substantially the same plane as the head of said 1 rail, aswinging signal element designed'tofl be mounted at one side of saidcrossing, n pull cord connecting said swinging element with the other.end of-said beam, to impart i motion tothe signal upon the passage of anplatform, and

signal 'elea car wheel flange over said means carried by said swingingment whereby an electrical contact may be made to cause a circuit forthe operation of a light signal;

;6. A railwa signal including a trip ele- I ment designe to be engagedby a train wheel, andapull cord operated by said trip;

closing element adapted to connect said contacts and arranged inposition for engage ment by said swinging arm when the same is actuatedto bring about the closing of an electric circuit through the actuationof said reciprocable circuit closing element.

7 In a railway signal device, including a train controlled trippingelement and a-pull cord actuated thereby; a supporting structure, is anarm carried by said supporting structure, a swinging arm carried uponsai first mentioned arm and designed to have said pull "cord connectedtherewith, resilient means controlling said swinging arm for Vmaintaining the same in vertical position, a switch structure adjustablmounted upon said first mentioned arm ad 'acent the swinging armcomprising a casmg having a pair of spaced electrical cona su rtinstructure a normall vertical pp a y tacts mounted therein andcontrolling a signal circuit, a reciprocable electric current con'ductinelement within said casing adapted to bri ge said contacts for closingsaid circuit, resilient means normally maintaining said reciprocablecurrent conduct-ing element free from engagement with said contacts, andmeans whereby upon the actuation of said swinging arm said reciprocableelement will be moved to close a circuit between said contact points forthe energization of the signal.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

7 JOHN P. DINEEN;

